SCOTT JOPLIN THE RAGTIME DANCE MOVIE
SCOTT JOPLIN THE RAGTIME DANCE SERIES

The third movement, “Scene in the Country” has a firmer feel here: quivering, trembling, bucolic yet eerie. There’s no slow build, more of a bumpy ride, through the first “Reveries, Passions,” movement. It is hard at first to discern where Kuan is going, conductor-wise, with this multi-layered dreamscape. “Symphonie Fantastique” takes up the post-intermission of this night of odd visions. The Hartford visit was special because Hartford Symphony Orchestra music director Carolyn Kuan was the very first Taki Alsop fellow two decades ago.

SCOTT JOPLIN THE RAGTIME DANCE SERIES

The series began in Spain in September, has had concerts in Canada, Austria and the UK, and will be collaborating with U.S. The fellowship, which addresses gender inequity in the classical music field by promoting, mentoring and celebrating the work of female conductors, is in the midst of its 20th-anniversary global concert series. Kuan yielded the baton for “The Entertainer” to a young conductor-in-training from the mentoring program of the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship. While “Ragtime Dance” is given the jaunty, early 20th-century feel of a band playing an ice cream social in a village park (the orchestra members even stomp their feet while playing), “The Entertainer” is oversweetened, overstuffed and not really ragtimey at all. They can have such a different feel in a symphony hall.

SCOTT JOPLIN THE RAGTIME DANCE MOVIE

The 1973 movie “The Sting” used “The Entertainer” and other Joplin rags for its soundtrack, popularizing orchestral versions of the tunes. Joplin’s original works are the stuff of gin joints, parlor pianos and dance bands. Regarding the specific works, there’s another issue here: Whether or not you like to hear Scott Joplin’s endearing piano rags puffed up with orchestral pomp. As a programming strategy, it can be unfettered. The problem with dreams is that they’re ephemeral and tenuous and can veer off wildly. Then there’s Anna Clyne’s astounding “Dance” Concerto for Cello, which is the gem of the evening despite Berlioz’s work hogging the program’s whole title.

The Joplin is more of a cartoonish, exaggerated reality sort of dream.

The Berlioz is obvious: The composer said he was trying to depict a young artist on a drug trip and was probably on opium himself when he composed it. What unites the works turns out to be dreams and fantasies.

Scott joplin the ragtime dance